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Microsoft gives volume customers more time to beat price spike

Microsoft has brought in a three-month pricing promotion to help customers stomach the volume licensing price rise.

According to a blog from a licensing specialist at distributor Westcoast, the software giant is offering discounted pricing on enterprise products affected by the price hike, as well as on gear including SQL Server and Client Access License, Project, Systems Center, VDI, remote desktop and Windows Server.

The blog details that, although the prices available are not as low as they were prior to the introduction of new pricing yesterday, "they will go a way to easing the pain of the price increase on customers". The promotion runs until the end of September.

"Here is another push to get orders in before the deadline and fix pricing in for the three-year agreements," adds the blog.

Microsoft issued ChannelWeb with a statement explaining that the promotion is the latest initiative in its quest to help VARs adapt to the pricing changes as painlessly as possible.

"Since February 2012, when we first announced our intention to establish price consistency across Europe for volume licensing programmes, we have been working closely with partners to help them transition smoothly through the changes," said the statement.

"The promotion is specifically for our Open Value Volume Licensing programme and will run until 30 September 2012. Final prices and currency will continue to be set by partners, where the licence is sold by a partner to the end customer."